How to apply

Scheme overview

HEP SSA awards are available for projects that aim to foster partnerships with industry to enhance engineering curricula and strengthen institutional research and innovation capacity. 

Application criteria

• Projects should clearly align with the programme’s overall aims and objectives.
• The lead applicant will be employed by a university in sub-Saharan Africa.
• Project activities must run between January 2024 and January 2025.
• Applications must include a detailed budget of up to £100,000 delivered over one year.
• Successful applicants will clearly outline direct funding allocated for spoke universities and partners in their application, where relevant.
• Applicants will develop formal partnerships with at least one industry partner, one UK institution and at least three spoke universities in sub-Saharan Africa.
• Projects must fit the criteria for ODA funding as indicated on page 8 of the applicant guidance notes and question 2.15 of the application form.

In line with eligibility criteria set by the UK government’s International Science Partnerships Fund (ISPF), lead applicant institutions must be from one of the countries listed below in order to be eligible to apply. The Academy will consider applications from the following countries in sub-Saharan Africa only:
Angola; Benin; Burkina Faso; Burundi; Cape Verde; Central African Republic; Chad; Comoros; Democratic Republic of the Congo; Djibouti; Eritrea; The Gambia; Guinea; Guinea Bissau; Kenya; Liberia; Lesotho; Madagascar; Malawi; Mali; Mauritania; Mauritius; Mozambique; Niger; Réunion; Rwanda; Sao Tome and Principe; Senegal; Seychelles; Sierra Leone; Somalia; South Africa; South Sudan; Sudan; Tanzania; Togo; Uganda; Western Sahara and Zambia.

Institutions from ineligible countries within sub-Saharan Africa can still participate in projects as spoke universities and industry partners.

Information sessions for applicants

We will be holding online open information sessions for interested HEP SSA applicants on these dates:

• 19 September, 10.00am BST
• 3 October, 10.00am BST

Register below stating your preferred date.

Partner matching

The HEP SSA programme is implemented through a ‘hub and spoke’ model. The hub university collaborates with at least three national or regional spoke universities, at least one UK academic partner and at least one local or regional industry partner (although more than one is encouraged). The project must include at least one UK academic partner, although UK industry partners are also welcome.

Please note, the deadline for partner matching is now closed. 

The Academy can support with identifying UK/African partners for projects. Please check the list of institutions interested in partner matching to find out who has already contacted us for support.